Bulldogs women open WNIT today
Adrian Wiggins will continue as interim coach of the women's basketball
team through next season
The Fresno State women’s basketball team opens the Women’s
National Invitation Tournament against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Two years ago, the Bulldogs reached the Elite Eight of the WNIT
before losing to Baylor. File photo by Joseph Hollak |
By NATHAN HATHAWAY
The interim tag on Adrian Wiggins’ job title just got an extension.
Interim athletic director Paul Oliaro announced Wednesday that Wiggins
will be retained as coach of the women’s basketball team through
next year, though a national search will be conducted during that time.
“I believe Adrian will create stability for the immediate future
of the women’s basketball program and the current student-athletes,”
Oliaro said in a news release. “He earned the trust and respect
of the student-athletes and administration, and I hope the community will
support him and the team.”
Wiggins, who was named interim head coach Feb. 9 after Stacy Johnson-Klein
was placed on paid administrative leave. Johnson-Klein was officially
fired March 9, when she accepted the university’s decision to terminate
her.
“I have been so impressed and proud of the way Adrian handled the
dramatic and traumatic set of events this past month,” associate
athletic director Randy Welniak, who oversees the women’s basketball
program, said in a news release. “This team has tremendous potential.
Therefore we felt it was important to maintain continuity in the program
for the sake of the student-athletes.”
Wiggins came to Fresno State with Johnson-Klein and served as her top
assistant for more than two seasons, helping Fresno State to a 46-36 record
during Johnson-Klein’s tenure.
As interim head coach, Wiggins posted a 7-3 record and led the Bulldogs
into the Women’s National Invitation Tournament for the second time
in the past three years. Fresno State plays Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
today in the first round of the WNIT.
The Islanders posted a 22-6 record this season as an independent team.
That record included losses to NCAA tournament teams Purdue and Michigan
State, a top seed in the tournament. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi also
beat NCAA tournament team Houston this season.
The Islanders also were 3-0 against teams Fresno State also played. The
Bulldogs went 3-2 against the same teams, including two losses to Western
Athletic Conference rival Tulsa, which Texas A&M-Corpus Christi beat
69-64 in January. Terra Andrews leads the Islanders with 15.6 points per
game and is second on the team with 8.4 rebounds per game. Lindsey Van
Dorn and Kibria Lewis also average better than 10 points per game for
the Islanders. Jackie Ododa leads the team in rebounding, with 10.5 per
game.
The Islanders’ coach is Jodi Kest, who was an assistant with current
WAC team Nevada.
All-WAC forward Amy Parrish leads the Bulldogs with 13.6 points and 6.9
rebounds. Senior forward Aritta Lane ranks second in both categories with
12.5 points and six rebounds.
|
